Not a Sonor expert;

But my D454's have the same shell, strainer and extra hole below it.

Regarding to the plating process:

If I remember correctly I observed 1 maybe 2 1mm holes near / in the bearing edge. I reckon this might be the "plating holes".

Cleaning up will be a pleasure; you don't need much to clean this chrome of high standards ;-). Have fun!

This snare

Yes that's a vent hole, metal snares usually didn't get a grommet back then. I believe that's a pre-75 snare. Can you tell if it has a seam?

Gary

Just saw the pic that looks like a weld seam. I kind of think it could be brass but I just don't know. Sonor did things without disclosing in catalogs on a regular basis in the 60's and early 70's.

I did find that snare in the Ranger catalog at the sonor museum. I think the Ranger was only available in Germany.

Gary

Seam is soldered, not welded. So that would plead for brass I guess? Not a metal expert, but I can hardly imagine that ferromanganese can be soldered.

All of the ferro snares are seamless. It`s heavy but not as heavy as Brass. Those lugs were both plastic and some were metal,...which are yours ? Weigh it, and I`ll tell you what my 14x5 454 weighs.

If it`s Brass, all other steel needs to be isolated by a gasket.

THIS ONE seems to have stumped our esteemed panel of judgesSoap Box

:-)

Not seeemles. No gaskets. Metal lugs.

If you returned it to round then I doubt its ferro. I had a ferro years ago that was about 3/16" out and I couldn't budge that thing. I even used a piece of all thread to try and pull it round and it would spring right back out.

If you don't mind i'll post this on the sonor museum if you'd like and try to get to the bottom of this.

Gary

I don't mind. I'd like to know. I guess to future owner would like to know too.

By the way: I checked the piece of shell under the washer again that I grinded. I'm pretty sure it's brass. There's no layering like with a COS (or COferromanganese) shell, it's chrome and brass.